LAist: Zappa Plays Zappa at the Wiltern 8/23/07 She Says

GemTones

Thu, 04 Oct 2007 21:21:39 -0800

Hi. It's me again. The central idiot. Here I will quote myself from earlier... "Nope. He opened with an instrumental (not Black Napkins)" Yes, of course it was Black Napkins. I was so obsessed with prior set lists that I idiotically assumed you were referring to Black Page. Duh. And umm, no I didn't leave before Muffin Man. Jeez, It's on Bongo Fury... Anyway, thanks for your review and sorry for my idiotness. I've always considered myself a huge fan, but apparently a bit smaller than big headed John.

Elise Thompson

Mon, 27 Aug 2007 17:44:29 -0800

I think part of the beauty of Frank Zappa's music and Dweezil's interpretation is that we have to debate whether a 10-minute jam is actually a song or not. I have to say, I was surprised when they finally came back into "Yo Mamma" earlier in the set. I thought that song had been over for awhile.

guest

Mon, 27 Aug 2007 15:59:26 -0800

Setist posted on Harmony Central here: http://acapella.harmony-central.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1724790 Looks like the one posted earlier was accurate but they had to cut I'm The Slime, probably due to running late. Show finished at 10:58, two minutes before curfew. Ed, whatever you think you remember happening in between Cosmik Debris & Muffin Man is a fantasy. Lay off the brown acid.

guest

Sat, 25 Aug 2007 00:03:56 -0800

This wonderfully knowledgeable review mirrors precisely how I felt after seeing the concert at the Royal Albert Hall. What a Reviewer ! What a Composer ! What a Band ! Joy for a fellow Zappa fanatic ! Brian Rochester England

Elise Thompson

Fri, 24 Aug 2007 23:47:42 -0800

Encore: Inbetween Cosmik Debris and Muffin Man they did G-Spot Tornado.

GemTones

Fri, 24 Aug 2007 21:58:28 -0800

Nope. He opened with an instrumental (not Black Napkins). It was a good pace-setter...Frank on the big vid doing solo guitar work close-up (but muted), and Dweezil aping him note for note live. Very cool. Then intro Ray & City of Tiny Lights. But PLEASE...what was the second encore? I am now soooo revisiting the Frank catalog!

GemTones

Fri, 24 Aug 2007 21:45:19 -0800

Okay, I swear I'm done after this...maybe...So the song I'm interested in was definitely NOT G-Spot. This was a rocker with a riff, not a fusion thingy. You guys were there! What was it? The song after Cosmic Debris with Frank prominently on the big screen...c'mon. you gotta know...Uh oh. Oh no. I'm a Zappa Trekkie (I loved that comparison). But seriously, I have a life...I swear. If I can't find an answer here I'm gonna have to call any vegetable or ask Magdalena. I just might have to go trudgin' across the tundra, mile after mile... Help, please what is that song? Ed(the obnoxious one)

Elise Thompson

Fri, 24 Aug 2007 21:42:02 -0800

Sorry, I wrote this at 3am. I had the album right in front of me. I even checked to make sure the full title wasn't "Maybe you should stay with yo' Momma" And no, he didn't do: I am the Slime unless he opened with it (it took awhile to get my photopass in the office). He did it at HOB in Anaheim on Wednesday night.

GemTones

Fri, 24 Aug 2007 21:18:40 -0800

If I wasn't an ass before... No way he played "The Slime". Set list is wrong as far as that song's concerned. That's one of the tunes I was hoping for (along with Dirty Love, Wet T-Shirt/On The Bus, & Watermelon in Easter Hay). No complaints, but maybe next year... Cool thing you guys have here. Ed

GemTones

Fri, 24 Aug 2007 20:48:57 -0800

Ahhh, right back at me. If only I paid attention! Set list is linked in the 3rd post of this thread. Okay, What album(s) can I find this on?...searching Amazon right now... PS: Damn, I missed Muffin Man! Oh well...

GemTones

Fri, 24 Aug 2007 20:33:16 -0800

Hi you (& yours)! Altogether solid reviews of the show that I saw as well. I've always considered myself a huge fan, as the first two concerts I ever saw were Frank when I was 13 years old (circa '75-6). I was however reminded how limited my real knowledge of his material is when I realized that he (dweez) only played perhaps 5 songs that I knew by heart. I'd say there were another 6 or so that I recognized, but could only name when I heard the chorus & another half dozen that I recognized but couldn't name at all. Having said that. Great show, and typical of Frank...superlative support talent. Here's my gripe about your review. You go on and on about what a huge Zappa audiophile you are, and how you have every album. And then how one particular song ("Your Mamma") defined part of your youth. Yet the song is actually called "Yo Mamma". Hell even I know that! Now that I've slammed you, I was hoping for a set list. The riff from the second encore song (after Cosmic Debris) is running amok through my head and I can't freaking place it. It's driving me nuts... Please help. Thanks, Ed

Elise Thompson

Fri, 24 Aug 2007 13:04:37 -0800

One of the things Dweezil mentioned in interviews was that he intentionally selected younger musicians because one of the purposes of this project was to bring his father's music to a younger generation. But it was mostly guys over 40 - they were a funny bunch of guys, though. Eric: I saw one guy taking photographs at the side of the stage, which made me crazy. I don't know who he was with.

guest

Fri, 24 Aug 2007 12:41:14 -0800

I saw this show in Tucson (at the gloriously restored FOX Theater)a few days before it hit LA, and it was magnificent. I had the privelage of seeing Frank live on 4 separate occasions, and the one major difference was that Franks' shows NEVER STOPPED. Even between songs when there was talking or some other business going on, someone in the band (usually bass and percussion) kept up a beat, a fugue or a motif. There were no resounding resolutions at the end of songs..until the very end. So it was odd to hear these songs..live.. being played as separate entities. Even at that, I'll be there(somewhere)the next time around. And I wasn't freaked out by the video duets either, mostly since the footage was from performances I hadn't seen before. Even at that, it was fun. The only sad thing....the audience was SO OLD!! Pretty odd seeing how the band is pretty young.

EricLee31

Fri, 24 Aug 2007 12:13:52 -0800

Maybe others got some shots of those. Will post if I find. setlist: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cookieduster/1222619577/

Elise Thompson

Fri, 24 Aug 2007 11:46:15 -0800

Sadly, like most venues, the Wiltern only allows photography for the first three songs. I tried snaking a pic of the sax solo with my little point-and-shoot, but I was beat down by The Man (OK, it was a skinny 18-year old usher, but he still had the power to throw me out.)

EricLee31

Fri, 24 Aug 2007 10:47:18 -0800

What, no pix of Ray in the pimp had or Scheila's two-sax solo? For shame! =)